God‘s Story Podcast

The book of Psalms is a treasure.  But how do the Psalms point to Christ? Brent and Ian talk with Ian Vaillancourt about his new IVP America book called ‘Treasuring the Psalms: How to Read the Songs that Shape the Soul of the Church’. Ian is associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Heritage Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario.  (0:50) Psalms a treasure; (4:10) Favorite Psalms; (5:...

Why is it such a challenging time for Christians and churches in the increasingly complex West? Brent and Ian are joined by Steve McAlpine, a consultant who helps schools and churches navigate the cultural space in a post-Christian West. Steve has degrees in journalism and theology and enjoys combining the two especially on matters of church planting and cultural negotiation for Christians. Steve...

We live in a ‘throwaway’ culture.  We’re often treated like ‘things’ or cogs in the machine.  What is a deep sense of personhood and why are we unique? Brent talks with Paul Louis Metzger about his new IVP book ‘More Than Things: A Personalist Ethics for a Throwaway Culture’. Paul is professor of Christian theology and theology of culture at Multnomah University and Seminary in Portland, Oregon an...

What does biblical justice look like in our society? Brent talks with Michael Rhodes about his new IVP book ‘Just Discipleship: Biblical Justice in an Unjust World’. Michael is lecturer in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Auckland, New Zealand.  He’s the author of several books and numerous articles in magazines like ‘Christianity Today’ and ‘The Biblical Mind’.  Michael has spent more th...

Who was Kierkegaard? What did he believe about the changelessness of God? Brent is joined by Craig Hefner, the Head of School at Covenant School in Huntingdon, West Virginia in the States.  Craig’s new book from IVP America is called ‘Kierkegaard and the Changelessness of God’. (1:10) Who was Kierkegaard? (2:50) What is Divine immutability? (7:00) James 1:17; (8:30) Kierkegaard and the self; (11:3...

How do we show compassion to someone who is struggling with their gender identity while affirming God’s good design for them? Brent and Ian talk with Patricia Weerakoon, the author (with Kamal Weerakoon and Robert Smith) of a Matthias Media book called ‘The Gender Revolution – A Biblical, Biological and Compassionate Response’. Patricia is a counsellor, sexologist and academic.  She trained in med...

What is the future of Artificial Intelligence? What is Artificial Intelligence anyway? How do we refer to a Chatbot? Brent is joined by Derek Schuurman, professor of computer science at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the States.  He previously taught at Dordt University and Redeemer University and has worked as an engineer designing embedded systems.  Derek has also done research i...

We need to trust God’s timing and hold onto hope during times of waiting. Brent talks with Grace Wabuke Klein who is no stranger to waiting on God.  Grace and her husband Phil lead focus412, a ministry that helps churches grow.  Grace was born in Uganda during the tyrannical reign of Idi Amin, and her family fled to the States. She has a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History and earned a Masters in In...

‘Humans are story shaped creatures.  But how does this relate to the narrative of the Bible and the story that God is writing through history?’ Brent talks with Jennifer Holberg, professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing. Jennifer's new IVP book is 'Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape O...

Brent is joined once again by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to discuss Revelation 13. Who or what is 666? (1:10) The dragon and the beasts as a parody of the Trinity; (2:20) The cherubim and animals; (3:25) The sea beast – Daniel’s 4th beast; (5:00) A Gentile beast? (6:30) The beast and Rome; (7:55) The beast and Jesus; (9:00) The land – who or what is it? (12:10) T...

Brent is joined once again by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to discuss Revelation 12. (0:30) The Trumpets; (2:10) The woman; (3:00) Zechariah 3 and the Day of Atonement; (4:30) Seven and the seven parts of the woman and the dragon; (6:45) The events of chapter 12; (9:50) Mary? (13:00) Why a red dragon? (15:15) The woman and the wilderness; (16:30) Michael and Daniel...

How was our New Testament created? Brent talks with Benjamin Laird, associate professor of biblical studies at the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University in the States.  Benjamin’s new IVP America book is called ‘Creating the Canon: Composition, Controversy, and the Authority of the New Testament’. (2:00) Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’; (3:00) Did the New Testament writers empl...

Have you lost your footing in church? Or has the church lost its footing? Brent and Ian talk with Anglican bishop Todd Hunter who is no stranger to betrayal and pain in the church.  His new book from IVP America is ‘What Jesus Intended: Finding True Faith in the Rubble of Bad Religion’. Bishop Todd Hunter leads churches for the Sake of Others, a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America and...

What does it mean to be human? Every human being is created in God’s image. Brent and Ian talk with Carmen Imes the author of a new IVP book ‘Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters’. Carmen is associate professor of Old Testament at Biola University in the States.  She’s the author of a number of books and is a regular contributor to ‘The Well’, a fellow of ‘Every Voice’ and serves on the a...

Brent is joined once again by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to discuss the second part of the trumpets section of Revelation – chapters 10-11. How do chapters 10 and 11 relate back to Ezekiel and Daniel?   (0:31) The first six trumpets; (1:41) The mighty angel and the 7 days of creation; (5:25) The 7 thunders; (7:00) Time; (9:45) John and Ezekiel; (12:30) The 42 mon...

Brent is joined once again by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to discuss the first part of the trumpets section of Revelation – chapters 8:6 to 9:21. (0:30) How the trumpets relate to the seals; (1:00) The trumpets as intensifications of the seals; (2:40) Chapters 8-11 and the structure of Revelation; (5:10) Seven trumpets and the days of creation; (7:15) The Red Hors...

Why does Judas betray Jesus? Brent and Ian continue their discussion of Mark’s gospel with chapter 14 verses 1-31. (1:30) Two days, two meals and two plots; (2:40) Time in the story at this point; (3:00) The plot to kill Jesus; (4:30) The first meal; (6:30) Judas’ betrayal. What is his motive? (8:30) Our attitude to money; (10:00) The second plot; (12:20) The second meal; (13:15) The Passover meal...

Want to unleash the remarkable in your team? Brent talks with Leonce Crump, former NFL athlete, international speaker and senior pastor of Renovation Church in Atlanta, Georgia in the States about his new IVP America book (with Ryan Hartwig and Warren Bird) ‘The Resilience Factor: A Step-By-Step Guide to Catalyze an Unbreakable Team’.   (1:00) What is the resilience factor? (2:30) Church teams and...

What could the ‘abomination of desolation’ in Mark 13 refer to? Ian and Brent continue their exploration of Mark’s gospel. (1:40) Religious corruption; (4:10) Apocalyptic; (5:30) Different interpretations; (8:40) The Temple; (13:00) How Jesus helps us persevere; (13:30) The abomination of desolation; (16:10) Standing firm in times of destruction and upheaval; (18:00) Be prepared! (19:30) Jesus’ as...

What is vitalism? Did the Lord Jesus fulfill the highest yearnings of the classical Greek and Roman world? Brent talks Jesus, Homer, Nietzsche and Dionysius with Susannah Black Roberts, a senior editor of ‘Plough’ who has written for many publications including ‘First Things’, ‘Fare Forward’, ‘Front Porch Republic’ and ‘Mere Orthodoxy’. (1:00) What is vitalism? (4:15) American conservatism and vit...

How can we deal with grief? ‘Grief is an intimate, personal pain that is often hard to discuss, even years after the loss.  For some, grief begins before a loved one passes as we watch their health deteriorate before our eyes’. Brent talks with internationally acclaimed recording artist Tori Parris about her new book from Whitaker House in the USA called ‘Love Is Never Lost: Standing Strong in Fai...

Brent and Ian take a look at ‘Lucky Hank’, a show developed by Paul Lieberstein and Aaron Zeiman which aired on AMC and in New Zealand on TVNZ. (1:05) Who is Lucky Hank? (5:50) Bob Odenkirk; (6:30) The cast; (7:00) ‘Black’ comedy; (8:00) Hank a bit of a dinosaur; (9:00) Hank a good head of department? (10:00) Hank and writing; (12:15) Hank and his Dad; (15:00) Hank’s family; (17:00) The academic w...

How can we do intergenerational Christian formation? ‘Throughout biblical tradition and the majority of history, communities of faith included people of all ages together in corporate worship, education and ministry’. Brent and Ian talk with Holly Catterton Allen, one of the authors (with Christine Lawton and Cory L. Seibel) of the second edition of an IVP book called ‘Intergenerational Christian...

How do we embrace a childlike faith? Brent and Ian talk with Lacy Finn Borgo, the author of a new IVP book called ‘Faith Like a Child: Embracing Our Lives as Children of God’. Lacy is the author of a number of books.  She teaches and provides spiritual direction for the Renovare Institute and the Companioning Center.  She especially loves meeting with children at Haven House, a transitional facili...

How do we make the most of the time we have? Brent talks again with Os Guinness, the author and editor of more than 35 books.  He’s the founder of the Trinity Forum, a prominent social critic, and a frequent speaker who has addressed audiences worldwide. ‘Carpe Deum Redeemed – Seizing the Day, Discerning the Times’ is published by IVP America. (0:52) Carpe Deum; (1:10) The pressures of modern life...